THEOAKS MERCY HIGH SCHOOL • BURLINGAME • SPRING 2019
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THEOAKS
SPRING 2019 - TABLE OF CONTENTS A Fond Farewell 4 Tri-School 6 On Campus 8 Visual & Performing Arts 12 Athletics 14 Academics 16
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Making A Difference 18 Mission & Service 20 Mercy Parent Club 22 Alumnae 25 Homecoming 26 Alumna Profile 29 Class Notes 30 In Memoriam 33
It is with great pleasure that we announce Natalie Cirigliano Brosnan ‘02 as the next Head of School for Mercy High School Burlingame! She will be profiled in the Fall ‘19 edition of The Oaks.
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CAMPUS EVENTS 2019 The Wedding Singer
Spring Chorale Concert
Tri-School Spring Musical at Serra March 29, 30; April 5, 6 at 7:30pm March 31 at 2:00pm
Mercy High School Tuesday, May 7 at 7:30pm
Spring Open House
Wednesday, May 15 at 5pm
Monday, April 29 at 4pm
Spring Dance Concert Serra High School Wednesday, May 1 at 7pm
Making a Difference Benefit Dinner SF Airport Marriott Waterfront, Burlingame Thursday, May 2 at 6:00pm
Mercy ArtsFest Baccalaureate Mass Our Lady of Angels Church Saturday, June 1 at 7pm
Graduation St. Ignatius Church (USF) Sunday, June 2 at 2pm
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ALUMNAE EVENTS 2019 ALUMNAE PAINT & SIP NIGHT
Thursday, March 28 6:30pm
HOMECOMING 2019 Reconnect with your classmates! Honoring classes ending in ‘4 and ‘9 September 15, 2019 Register Online at www.mercyhsb.com
Visit our website for details on these and other events: www.mercyhsb.com 2 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
No work of charity can be more productive of good to society than the careful instruction of women. — Catherine McAuley
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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL KAREN HANRAHAN
Foundress of the Sisters of Mercy
I first saw this Catherine McAuley quote when I walked on the campus of St. Mary Academy – Bay View in Riverside, Rhode Island. It adorned the wall in front of the new gym. Imagine an education quote on a gym! Having worked previously in all-girls, all-boys and coed Catholic schools around the country, literally from Rhode Island to California, this is the first time I had read, in a simple sentence, why women’s education was important. I remember thinking that the Sisters of Mercy “got it!” It was the Sisters in Rhode Island who ultimately got me to Burlingame. When I left Bay View to become President of an all-girls high school and co-ed elementary school in Baltimore some of the Sisters kept telling me that I needed to find and work at a Mercy school. They said that I had become too indoctrinated into the Mercy culture and would miss it. They were right. One of the Sisters suggested I look at an opening for a President in Burlingame. The rest, of course, is history. That decision changed my life in so many ways. I hope that the past six years have not changed Mercy but made it an even better place. I have had the amazing opportunity to be in a school with incredible young women an outstanding faculty and staff and it all happens in Kohl Mansion! I am proud that we are the most diverse private school on the Peninsula. Proud of our strong academic program, our AMES program, spirited student activities and clubs (best rallies anywhere!) and a great athletic program that keeps getting better (just wait…can you imagine what it will be like when the new Student Life and Athletic Center opens?!). It matters that we are a place where the girls care for and about each other. A place where the quirky girls and the athletic girls and the drama girls (literally and figuratively) and the everyday “Jills” feel safe and protected and at home. We live the Mercy Sisterhood. I am immensely grateful to be in a place that is truly Mercy. Our ministry program, our service opportunities, our masses, the people who are a part of that program, how we help others in need, how we teach Jesus and how we walk in the steps of Catherine McAuley. We ARE Mercy. We are so fortunate to have Natalie Cirigliano as our new Head of School. She will take Mercy to new and exciting places. She is a true “Mercy Girl.” It has been the privilege of my life to have been the Head of School at Mercy. Know that you will forever be in my most grateful thoughts and I will enjoy telling wonderful stories about these past six years we have had together. May we always live the words of Catherine to “resolve to do good today and better tomorrow.”
Karen Hanrahan Head of School
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A Fond Farewell . . .
Head of School Leaves Lasting Legacy
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For six years, Karen Hanrahan has led our school with compassion and courage. She brought with her energy for new ideas and stable leadership. She is retiring at the end of this year, after making her mark on Mercy High School by initiating the campaign to build an Athletic and Student Life Center, remodeling the library and AMES rooms, creating counseling offices, and so much more. One of the key hallmarks of a Mercy education is hospitality, in the sense that all are welcome. Karen embodies this - her office door is always open to students, parents, faculty and staff, and even to neighbors who walk by and want to visit the Mansion. She is often seen strolling the halls to check in with students and faculty alike, listening to their concerns and
Karen’s genuine affection and interest in our students is so clearly on display every day, night, and weekend. She has brought a warmth to administrator-student interactions that has made this school all the more like a family, and she is the biggest cheerleader of all of our students. Behind the scenes, Karen’s support of a robust technology upgrade means that our teachers and classrooms are wireless, and that our students are working in a 21st Century learning environment. Karen’s studentcentered vision has been a boon for everyone in this Mercy community.
Head of School for Academics
and outside of school. It is with great pleasure that we honor her in this publication, as we will remember and cherish all that she has done for Mercy. — Angie Simonetti, Campus Minister,
Chair of Religion Department
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— Lauren Conklin, Assistant
sharing their joys and struggles inside
Renderings of Athletic and Student Life Center
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FEATURE
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FEATURE
Student Life
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Karen did tremendous work on long term planning for Mercy’s facilities and future. The impact she will have on the growth of the school will likely never be fully realized because she played such a humble role in rolling up her sleeves to move us forward.
Mercy ‘s Next Head of School
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— Natalie Cirigliano ‘02,
— Bob Grassilli, Chair of the
Board of Directors
Ms. Hanrahan is an amazing and considerate person. I mentioned that I worked at a frozen yogurt shop and one day she drove to my work and surprised me! It meant so much to me that she would take time out of her day to visit me, a true testament to her character. Ms Hanrahan supported, listened and respected her students, and I am grateful that I am one of them. — Josephine Dugoni ‘18
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Assistant Head of School for
From her first day on campus, Karen showed boundless energy in working to make Mercy a great school. No job was too big or too small for her to accomplish. And more importantly, she interacted wonderfully with the students, and always demonstrated the Mercy charism in all that she did.
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— Claire Rietmann-Grout ‘04,
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Halloween Faculty Christmas Party
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Karen leads with Mercy. Her leadership style is caring - for us the faculty, for the students, and the community. I will never forget her thoughtful details, from celebrating birthdays, to handpicking books for children of faculty. From Mercy’s tagline, Karen takes the “Be Known” to heart. She understands the care, hospitality, and sense of community that makes Mercy such a special place, and she models it for all. She is a champion of the students and is a strong advocate for our girls’ empowerment.
We have loved having Karen as Head of School. We Sisters of Mercy are grateful for her gracious invitations to be involved with so much that occurs in the upper acreage of Mercy World, our beloved Mercy High School. — Sister Suzanne Toolan, RSM
. . . thank you Karen!
Junior Ring Ceremony
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FEATURE
Sense & Sensibility
Tri-School
Tri-School Productions presented Sense & Sensibility this fall - a playful new adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel. Set in gossipy, late 18th-century England with a fresh female voice, the play was full of humor, emotional depth, and bold theatricality. Nine Mercy students were cast in the production, including one of the lead roles, Elinor Dashwood, played by sophomore Mia Faillace.
Tri-school Productions
CORRECTION: The Fall 2018
edition of The Oaks said that the Spring Musical - West Side Story - appeared for the first time when Tri-School Productions had in fact presented West Side Story in 1990 under Director Jay Jordan. We apologize for the error.
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Tri-School Band
Both a class and an extracurricular activity, Tri-School Jazz Band and Symphonic Band allow Mercy Girls to explore their musical creativity and collaborate in an ensemble. The bands perform in multiple shows during the year, and in addition to formal concerts, the symphonic band doubles as the pep band at Serra’s home football and basketball games! Yasmine Dudum ‘19 has played alto saxophone in both bands all four years of her high school career. She says something that people might not know about Tri-School Band is that they also perform outside of the Mercy and Serra communities. 6 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
“ Both bands perform in the California Music Educators Association competition each year that is judged by esteemed musicians. We also have a biannual tradition of performing in Disneyland Park and spending a few days there together. This is a great way to celebrate all of our hard work and achievement throughout the year!” —Yasmine Dudum ‘19
FEATURE
Photography
Mercy’s Tri-School Digital Photography class has been offered for over 10 years, and is a year-long course open to Mercy students of all grades and Serra juniors and seniors. Students spend the first semester practicing technical skills related to their camera and editing software, and work on projects in the second semester that express their creativity. Students are encouraged to use photography to explore topics that are important to them, and use their voice in new, original ways. Photos by Tatyana Thumas ‘19
Forensics
Tri-
School
Forensic Biology is an exciting Tri-School course that combines skills and concepts from all of the sciences with criminal and civil law. It uses case studies of real crimes such as the Golden State Killer, along with laboratory work such as fingerprinting and blood spatter analysis to introduce students to the wide field of forensics. They use modern biotechnology equipment and techniques like gel electrophoresis, and learn how crime-lab scientists analyze and document physical evidence. The course explores how concepts like crime scene investigation, DNA quantification, and ballistics are used to solve crimes, and how it is presented in courtrooms.
“ Since photography is a Tri-School class we get to bond and create friendships with the Serra students. We learn how school life is at Serra and the Serra guys get to experience life at Mercy.” —Tatyana Thumas ‘19
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ON CAMPUS
Welcome back! First Day of School We welcomed students and faculty back to campus in August. It was fun to reconnect, hear about summer adventures, and share the enthusiasm for the new year together.
Link Crew
Link Crew is a very special association at Mercy that helps freshmen with the transition to High School. The nationally acclaimed Link Crew Program works on two levels: connecting freshmen to their new community, and empowering upper classwomen (juniors and seniors) to lead. Every freshman is placed in a crew within their advisory that has a Link Leader who guides them through their first year at Mercy. Link Leaders have been handselected and trained to help ensure every student has a successful first year of high school. Leaders gather with their freshmen cohorts during Orientation to introduce them to Mercy - they facilitate bonding games, help open lockers, and answer any questions new students might have. Link Leaders are prime examples and teachers of the Mercy traditions and culture. The goal is to have student leaders help groom the next generation of student leaders! 8 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
ON CAMPUS
Celebrating Traditions... MERCY DAY
The celebration of Mercy Week is a meaningful tradition for the Mercy Burlingame community. Themed dress-up days and the Mercy Day Rally spark school spirit, while the Mercy Day Mass is an important time to gather in reflection and prayer. This year’s theme was "Women with a Dream," in honor of the Sisters of Mercy's Critical Concern of Women. We recognized the many extraordinary women - past and present - who have changed the world through their dreams and actions. With Mercy Day, we commemorate the incredible example of women like Mother Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, and Mother Mary Baptist Russell, the intrepid pioneer who led a group of sisters from Ireland to San Francisco in 1854 to establish the first Mercy community on the West Coast. Students watched RBG, the recent documentary about U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and the Mercy Day Mass homily was given by Congresswoman Jackie Speier '68.
JUNIOR RING
C E R E M O N Y
The Junior Ring ceremony is a long-standing tradition of young women becoming upperclassmen and solidifying the Mercy Sisterhood. The event is important because it celebrates our bond to students who came before, and to the global Mercy community. With a blue stone set atop the Mansion and Mercy crest, class rings are a symbol of Mercy values, reminding us to appreciate the diversity among us, empowering us to be our better selves, and honoring our roots of faith and service. This tradition also signifies ‘Once a Mercy girl, always a Mercy girl’ - that we are one in spirit wherever we may be.
Invitation graphic designed by Nikka Sekelj ‘20
2018
Junior Ring Ceremony
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ON CAMPUS
Dance- A-Thon 2019 Mercy held our first ever DanceA-Thon in celebration of a successful Student Fundraiser! Students raised over $80,000 to benefit Mercy academic and extracurricular programs. We had a live DJ and 11 outstanding performances from our students, faculty and staff. With music from ABBA to BeyoncĂŠ, it was so much fun to have all grade levels dancing together in the Great Hall. To celebrate reaching 100% of our school-wide goal, we had 15 rescue puppies visit campus for playtime, and some were kindly adopted by our Mercy community!
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ON CAMPUS
CLUBS This year, Mercy’s Office of Student Life developed a new framework to revitalize our Club program. A critical change was to allocate time during the day on a weekly basis for students to dedicate to clubs, because we believe that extracurriculars are important to building community across grade levels. The goal is to broaden the scope of student connections on campus by creating a space to make friends with common interests outside of the classroom! In the fall, we hosted a Club Fair for students to explore the 24 clubs available in the 20182019 school year. Students were encouraged to join one or two clubs, and we are enthusiastic about the 100% participation! Clubs range from long-standing Mercy traditions such as JSA (Junior Statesmen of America) and Heritage Club, to new clubs such as Arts & Crafts and Harry Potter Club. The wide variety encourages students to take leadership positions in clubs they are passionate about. All grade levels can start their own clubs, including freshmen and sophomores who founded seven new clubs! Many have taken the opportunity to plan and organize service events and special projects. For example Red Cross Club organizes biannual blood drives, and this year Equality Club hosted an ‘accessory drive’ to donate to the SF Community Center. They even brought in Guest Speakers - GAA partnered with Positive Coaching Alliance and invited a sports nutritionist to present.
ROBOTICS CLUB
Design • Build • Program • Compete The Tri-School Robotics Club, otherwise known as the ‘Gear Gremlins’ is made up of Mercy and Serra students interested in STEM. It is associated with FIRST Robotics, an organization designed to inspire students to be leaders and innovators in science and technology. Through Club activities, students hone skills in computer programming, electronics, metalworking and more. They learn to work collaboratively and under a myriad of situations to overcome challenges. FIRST also hosts regional robotics competitions in which the objective changes every year. This year’s competition, in partnership with Boeing, is DESTINATION: DEEP SPACE. The Gremlins are building a robot that will load cargo onto ‘rockets’ through a sandstorm over unpredictable terrain! Students have six weeks to create, prototype, CAD design, and build their robot. It’s not all serious science, however. The Gremilins recently made a “ball shooter” to shoot baskets at Serra’s famous Jungle Game! If you want to join the fun, the Robotics Club invites all parents, guardians, alumnae, and friends of Mercy with STEM interest or expertise to teach and mentor our students. They welcome all help and knowledge levels! If you are interested in participating, please email Robotics@mercyhsb.com.
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V P A ON CAMPUS
isual & erforming rts
WINTER CHORALE CONCERT The Winter Choral Concert was a beautiful showcase from Mercy Chorale, Tri-M Music Honor Society soloists, and the Tri-School Chorus. From traditional arias to a Nigerian carol, the diverse music pieces performed in our vibrant Great Hall made for a spectacular evening.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT In November, Olivia Siri ‘19 participated in the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) 2018 All-National Honor Ensemble Mixed Choir at Walt Disney World. The preeminent national music education advocacy organization, NAfME has a highly competitive audition process, and Olivia was selected to join the ‘best of the best’ in a ensemble performance. This was a great honor, and we are so proud of Olivia for representing Mercy! 12 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
SANTA CLARA CHOIR FESTIVAL
In late January, Mercy Chorale students gathered with six other local high school choirs for Santa Clara University's High School Choral Festival. Designed to bring high school singers together for workshops and performance experiences, SCU plans to make this a yearly event, ultimately supporting and encouraging music education in Catholic schools.
ON CAMPUS
WINTER DANCE CONCERT
'The New Nutcracker' by Mercy Dance was a fun, modern twist on a festive classic. The well-loved storyline was creatively reimagined with current music, and all dance levels participated in a celebration of their growth this semester.
Join us for our Spring Concerts!
Spring Chorale Concert Mercy High School Tuesday, May 7, 2019 - 7:30pm
Canvas by Jacqueline Klingler ‘20
Art
Spring Dance Concert Serra High School Wednesday, May 1, 2019 - 7pm
MERCY
Arts FEST
24th Annual Art Festival Mercy High School Burlingame
2D AND 3D ART
Students in 2D and 3D Art classes are building skills and mastering techniques. Honors Art 3 took on a new challenge with large-scale acrylic pieces where they cut, primed, and painted on raw 3ft canvas. All class levels will showcase their creativity at ArtsFest in May. Some pieces will even be entered into state and local competitions.
A Showcase of the Visual Arts
CERAMICS, ART PHOTOGRAPHY
Wed. May 15 5-7pm
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ON CAMPUS
ATHLE
SPIRIT SQUAD HIGHLIGHTS
MERCY SPIRIT SQUADS have had a great year of performances on campus, at competitions, and supporting both Mercy and Serra sports teams at home games. They also pumped up the crowd at Mercy’s Dance-A-Thon.
Our Squads were again successful at this year’s JAMZ competitions! After qualifying at Regionals in early December, Cheer, Hip Hop, Lyrical, and Song Pom (Varsity and JV) competed at the California State Championships in Bakersfield. They recently returned from the National Championships in Las Vegas- all the teams showed great resilience and determination, and brought home trophies!
Mercy Varsity Cheer are 2019 National Champions!
Lyrical and JV Pom both won 2nd Place. Hip Hop and Varsity Pom placed 3rd. 14 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
ETICS
ON CAMPUS
FALL HIGHLIGHTS
CROSS COUNTRY secured a bid for the CCS Finals
VARSITY VOLLEYBALL made the CCS playoffs again and had an incredible first round upset that landed the front page of the sports section in the San Mateo Daily Journal. Alister Borabo ‘19 was named an Athlete of the Week by the Daily Journal, her play described as “pure athleticism”. Our JV and Frosh teams had strong years, as both squads exceeded win totals from last year.
as a team this year - a great accomplishment in one of the strongest leagues for cross country. Our entire program showed growth with many girls getting personal records by the end of the year.
WATER POLO is
another solid year, finishing a very respectable 4th place in a top quality league. Brooke Barron ‘22 was named an Athlete of the Week by the San Mateo Daily Journal and featured for a hole-in-one at Baylands Golf Links.
TENNIS showed significant progress with Varsity securing 4th place in our division with the highest amount of wins in league play in our recent history. With a lot of interest in the program, we were able to have a JV team again, with girls securing solid wins in league matches.
West Bay
MERCY GOLF had
coming back strong at Mercy, allowing us to field a Varsity and JV team this year. Varsity made significant steps, exceeding win totals over last year and achieving many tight contests. With a ‘never quit’ attitude, the JV team is taking great strides in building skills and experience for next year.
Athletic League All-League Selections CROSS COUNTRY Joanne Hui 2nd team Kelsey Hage Honorable mention VOLLEYBALL Alister Borabo 1st team Allison Remulla Honorable mention WATER POLO Salma El-Badry 2nd team Gen Flieder Honorable mention
GOLF Brooke Barron 2nd team Maya Zeidan 2nd team Ellen Lahey Honorable mention TENNIS Karla Alvarez-Joachin 1st team Sharlene Fang 2nd team Jennifer Ye 2nd team Ruby Mayne Honorable mention THE OAKS SPRING 2019 15
ACADEMICS ACADEMICS
GRADUATES FROM ALL-GIRLS SCHOOLS SHOW:
A Clear Advantage
STRONGER ACADEMIC SKILLS They more frequently looked for ‘alternative solutions to a problem’, explored topics independently, and value critical thinking.
BENEFITS OF AN ALL-GIRLS EDUCATION A recently-released study by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA compared academic characteristics and the college readiness of graduates from all-girls schools to graduates of coed schools. Fostering Academic and Social Engagement: An Investigation into the Effects of All-Girls Education in the Transition to University by Tiffani Riggers-Piehl, Ph.D, found “more than 80 ways in which graduates of all-girls and coeducational schools differed.” Her team concludes that all-girls schools uniquely prepare their graduates for success in college and career, showing characteristics such as those described at right. More information can be found on the National Coalition of Girls Schools website.
GREATER ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT They emphasize learning with their peers, tutoring and studying with others, and they spend more time on homework. HIGHER SCIENCE SELF-CONFIDENCE They have greater confidence in their understanding of concepts and analysis, and their ability to use scientific tools and techniques. STRONGER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT They are active in volunteerism and demonstrate a desire to participate in environmental and community development programs. HIGHER LEVELS OF CULTURAL COMPETENCY They desire to understand and work with diverse people and value developing their capacity for tolerance and cooperation.
The study reaffirms the growth in students that we see every day around campus. At Mercy, we believe that educating the whole person (mind, body, spirit) allows the girls to grow in confidence and character, and importantly, in the classroom. Our educational philosophy and mission get at the heart of the outcomes identified in this study, and we are reminded that education goes beyond traditional measurements of achievement.
INCREASED POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT They are more likely to vote, stay informed, and communicate about important political issues.
Stephanie Montoya
Carol Cooke
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25 YEARS
Mercy inducted twelve new members to the Catherine McAuley Chapter of the National Honor Society! We congratulate these students on their outstanding achievements in scholarship, service, leadership, and character.
Carol Fraher
Sandy Flaherty
15 YEARS 25 YEARS
Betty Battaglia
Mary Lund
Angie Simonetti
THANK YO U !
29.5 YEARS
HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION
Terri Baldocchi
25 YEARS
25 YEARS
20 YEARS
Louisa LaFarge
15 YEARS
5 YEARS
10 YEARS
Faculty & Staff ANNIVERSARIES
Janet Morello Retired 12/2018
ACADEMICS
STEM Corner Internship Program Mercy’s Internship program provides career exploration opportunities in which students spend time working with a teacher or staff member at the school for course credit. In a variety of fields, from Admission Marketing to Chemistry, students are exposed to experiences and activities that are representative of the teacher or staff member’s daily work. Usually a mix of normal operating activities and special projects, students gain skills and responsibility while providing invaluable help! Eme Dawes ‘19 helps Dr. Bradley prep for chemistry labs by making solutions, setting up materials, and even testing potential new labs to see if they are easy to follow. Like college lab techs, she also cleans the lab, sanitizing glassware and other equipment.
Visit www.mercyhsb.com/ academics/departments/vpa to watch the preview videos!
Ms. Kury-Arnold’s Art intern Christiana Wong ‘19 created special preview videos of Mercy Dance, Chorale, 2D, and 3D programs that are featured on the Mercy website and Facebook page. She is also managing the art studio, monitoring supplies, and using data management techniques to develop a more efficient tracking and ordering system for our art supplies.
COMPUTER SCIENCE In the Math Department, Dr. Bradley’s Computer Science classes develop logical-thinking skills through coding projects. Students are introduced to programming languages, with AP Computer Science working in Java and Intro to Computer Science working in Python. To explore algorithm development, CodeHS returned to Mercy for ‘Hour of Code’, in which the Intro class created funny memes and visual representations of musical beats.
LABORATORIES Mercy’s Science Department uses labs to complement standard curriculum and give students the opportunity to learn through investigating and experimenting. Handson work in labs helps students develop problem-solving skills, as well as gain exposure to scientific equipment and materials. As they build comfort and confidence in the classroom, our students are encouraged to envision themselves in scientific fields and to pursue them through their high school and college experiences.
Biology students did fieldwork to analyze and compare ecosystems in a biodiversity lab.
Chemistry classes use a ‘flame test’ to visually determine the identity of metal samples.
Students launched rockets in Physics class at different angles to learn about velocity.
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GIVING
! s U n i o J e s a e Pl MAKING a 15TH ANNUAL
Scholarship Benefit Dinner
Thursday, May 2, 2019 • 6:00pm San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront, Burlingame On May 2, 2019 we will celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Making A Difference Scholarship Benefit. That night, we will present the Catherine McAuley Award to a very special member of our community - Sr. Suzanne Toolan, RSM. As the Chorale teacher at Mercy High School Burlingame for over 20 years, Sr. Suzanne exemplifies the vision of Catherine McAuley in her commitment to the education of young women. She is a teacher, humanitarian, and liturgist, and her skills as a composer enriched prayer for the thousands of Mercy students that have passed through the halls of Kohl Mansion. Beyond our oak-clad acres, Sr. Suzanne’s legacy is honored through the beloved hymns sung in congregations all over the world. Her most famous song, “I am the Bread of Life,” written for Communion, has been translated into more than 20 languages. The Making A Difference Scholarship Benefit was established in 2004 to raise additional funding for tuition assistance to ensure that qualified applicants who dream of a Mercy education are afforded that opportunity. Your participation can change a young woman’s life. Please visit the Making A Difference webpage to register and to view sponsorship opportunities.
Michael Collopy, Photographer
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GIVING
15TH ANNUAL
MAKING a Scholarship Benefit Dinner Please join us! Thursday • May 2, 2019 • 6:00pm
SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT MARRIOTT WATERFRONT, BURLINGAME
Make your reservation early - We anticipate a sell out! Please R.S.V.P. by April 24
HONORING
il l w e n n a z u S Sr. ne i r e h t a C e h receive t ward ! McAuley A
Sr. Suzanne Toolan, RSM
Beloved Chorale Teacher Internationally Renowned Composer
STUDENT SPEAKER
Margaret “Maggie” Dugoni Class of 2019
Sponsorships, gifts and reservations can be made at www.mercyhsb.com/giving/MAD MERCY HIGH SCHOOL IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. CHARITABLE TAX ID# 94-1230999.
Your gift will change a young woman’s life. THE OAKS SPRING 2019 19
MISSION
Mission & SERVICE STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Grace Zhang ‘20 has embraced the Sisters of Mercy Critical Concern of the Earth, pursuing advocacy and projects that highlight the issue at Mercy High School and the broader Peninsula community. An intern with the Citizens Environmental Council of Burlingame, she developed a plan to improve recycling and general awareness of sustainability at Mercy, and is implementing it as Co-President of our Environmental Club. As a student intern at the Mercy Library, she develops innovative projects with Mrs. Murphy. For example, she demonstrated how to bring creativity to a research assignment with an interactive map highlighting effects of climate change in the Bay Area!
URBAN PLUNGE This year’s Freshman Urban Plunge added some experiences to years’ past. Students spent the morning helping at the Lantern Center, learning about and reflecting on its mission of serving the immigrant community through hospitality, education, and advocacy. Later, from food to modern murals, students enjoyed distinct cultural expressions in the Mission District. As is tradition, they played with children at St. Peter’s afternoon school program and delivered sandwiches they had made at St. Teresa of Avila parish.
RELIGION & TEA ON THE GREEN Ms. Connolly ‘12 took advantage of the beautiful fall weather to hold Religion I class on the Green. They shared tea and celebrated Catherine McAuley, Foundress of the Sisters of Mercy. They discussed her well-known hospitality; she always had a cup of tea for those who would visit the first house of Mercy. The students had the opportunity to reflect on moments that they have shared with people in their lives over tea, coffee, or boba. The students learned the importance of taking time to cherish moments with those around them, even if it is just sharing a simple cup of tea.
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Students also had a presentation from Cityteam International - an organization that serves the poor and meets local needs with hot meals, shelter, career help, transformation programs and more. They discussed a pilot program for young adults just released from juvenile detention and the foster care system to help their transitions, as many of the young adults who are homeless come from the juvenile detention and the foster care program.
MISSION
WORLD RELIGIONS FIELD TRIP One of the most important goals of Mercy’s World Religions class is to gain knowledge and appreciation of the rich cultures that surround us in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Chinatown field trip aims to give our students a taste of Eastern cultures, particularly the contributions of the Buddhist and Taoist traditions in our community. To make the trip engaging and informative, students conduct a scavenger hunt for important places and items, research their significance, and present their findings. The class spends a day walking through the streets of Chinatown, visiting cultural landmarks such as the Tin How Temple, Kong Chow Temple, and the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. They also search for key cultural symbols in the Buddhist and Taoist traditions, such as pagodas, paper offerings, and temple guardians, and indulge in Chinese delicacies such as dim sum. This trip is one of the highlights of the senior course.
BE KIND CHALLENGE Campus Ministry and the Religion classes started the school year with a focus on kindness, positivity, and community by leading Mercy in participation of the #BeKind21 Challenge. It was a call-to-action to help make kindness - to ourselves and others - a habit by practicing an act of kindness each day for 21 days.
—Angela Giusto and Sophia Godfrey
Coming together to reach in with reflection and reach out with action was great reminder that kindness is mercy. Doing something for 21 consecutive days helps turn it into a habit, and we were thrilled at the positive response from the students and our community in fostering a culture of compassion and wellness!
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“The Be Kind Challenge is the starting point for us to put grace into effect and to actively practice sincere kindness. Even completing a simple task such as opening a door for someone, is the driving force for grace and tenderness to be a part of us.”
This experience helped us realize that the most cherished moments are spent face to face rather than in front of a screen.
THE OAKS SPRING 2019 21
MERCY PARENTS
The Mercy Parent Club Mercy’s Parent Club (MPC) provides opportunities for parents to be invested and involved, strengthening our partnership and enhancing the Mercy experience. Open to our whole parent community, MPC hosts many beloved events and traditions, and offers ways to volunteer in educational, athletic, social, and service programs. We are so thankful for all of their support! Participating is a fun way to become familiar with the school and meet fellow parents. We love celebrating the rich community we have here at Mercy.
In October we hosted the Head
of School Welcome BBQ,
inviting Mercy families to start the new school year off with sunshine, great barbeque, lawn games, and the launch of our Student Store! Special thanks to Emergency BBQ (owned by current Mercy family) for catering!
22 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
MERCY PARENTS
The Mother
Daughter Tea
is a favorite Mercy tradition that this year brought together over 500 mothers, daughters, and grandmothers to enjoy a sunny, Sunday morning tea at the Mansion. Many thanks to the Mercy Dads that volunteered to help!
The Father
Daughter
Dance is always a blast (from the past)! This year, students and dads dressed up as 80s movie characters and enjoyed their favorite throwback jams.
THE OAKS SPRING 2019 23
GIVING
Mercy Welcomes Freshman Parents On a lovely September evening, Mercy High School welcomed the parents of the Class of 2022. The freshman parents were invited to a hosted cocktail reception in their honor. The reception, held in the mansion, was a fun way to have parents mix, meet and mingle with other parents, and to meet Mercy faculty and staff. Head of School Karen Hanrahan welcomed the group and Mary Lund, Director of Advancement, gave parents an overview of The Mercy Fund and how their support is critical to all that we do at Mercy. She also spoke to them about how important it is for each family to be a part of the Mercy community, and encouraged them to join in as many activities as they could in order to make the most of their time spent at Mercy!
A TASTE &
AKE EVENT
at
Kohl Mansion
The annual Mercy community favorite,
A Taste & Take Event at Kohl Mansion,
showcasing local wines, craft spirits and gourmet Wine, Distilled Spirits, foods had to be Food and Live Music! canceled due to the dangerous air quality we were experiencing from the Paradise/Camp fire in Butte County. This popular event that draws upwards of 400 parents, alumnae, and friends of the Mercy community each year will be back Nov. 2019! We are grateful to all who supported this event, especially our vendors and sponsors!
EVENT SPONSORS & UNDERWRITERS Marc & Susan Worrall, Jessica '22 Smith's Beverage, Greg Smith The Pawington Premier Pet Resort,Natalie Poletti '05 Auto Exotics, Joe & Judy Ajam, Katia '16, Adriana '20 Mr. Kenny Kato & Ms. Barbara Patterson, Nikolette '19 Mercy's Cafe, Hani & Mary Kaileh 24 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
Lobster Feed Mercy hosted our first Lobster Feed & Live Music at Kohl Mansion event on Friday Feb. 22nd! Guests enjoyed the New England Lobster Market’s traditional-style boil and the sounds of local music scene favorites The Heist. Thank you to everyone who was able to attend and support this one-of-akind dining and entertainment event.
ALUMNAE
Christmas at Kohl Christmas at Kohl has been a Mercy holiday tradition for decades, showcasing Kohl Mansion in its holiday splendor to the public. Our 2018 event welcomed over 600 guests and featured more than 60 vendors, all selling unique items. Special thanks to our many volunteers, including our event chairperson Eugenia Hovland ‘59, and the Mercy High School Alumnae Association. See you all on Wednesday, December 4, for Christmas at Kohl 2019!
Alumnae & MOMA
WINTER SOCIAL In December, we hosted our first gathering of Mercy alumnae and moms of alumnae (MOMA) to celebrate the Christmas season. During the fun evening of mingling, alumnae and moms enjoyed wine and cheese, conversation, and some hands-on holiday crafts. It’s always a delight to welcome our alums and their moms back to Mercy!
THE OAKS SPRING 2019 25
ALUMNAE
In September, more than 150 alumnae gathered at Mercy for Homecoming 2018. Alumnae had the chance to greet many of the Sisters of Mercy who had been their teachers, to celebrate Mass together in the Chapel, and to enjoy laughter and memories over a delicious Italian buffet luncheon in the Mansion. We are thrilled that so many Mercy Girls had the opportunity to renew their bonds of sisterhood!
1968
1958
1956 1963
1953 26 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
ALUMNAE
1983
1987
1978 2008 1985
1998
1977 1988 1993
1973
THE OAKS SPRING 2019 27
A LUM N A E ASSOCIATION
! t c e n n o C y c r e M n i Jo
Mercy Burlingame’s Alumnae Networking Platform Over the past six months, over 400 alumnae have joined Mercy Connect, our new online community exclusively for Mercy Burlingame graduates. Joining Mercy Connect is fast and easy, and gives registered users access to features designed to deepen our sisterhood and enhance the alumnae experience. These features include an alumnae map and directory; a blog showcasing stories, interviews, and resources; an event portal; a monthly eNewsletter; and more.
Here are two new activities that Mercy alumnae can look forward to this spring: Become a peer mentor or mentee: The Alumnae Mentorship Portal will open in March! Available services will range from simple, short term options like resume review, industry insights, and job shadowing to longer term options like academic or career guidance, goal setting, and skills development. Pairings are peer-driven and managed by alumnae themselves, which allows for greater flexibility. This is a wonderful way for alumnae to share their talents and skills with one another, and to more deeply engage the broader network of Mercy women.
Help an alumna find a job: Is your company hiring? Do you know of a great job opening or internship that could use a talented Mercy grad? Post these opportunities on the Career Center and share it with the alumnae community.
Check out Mercy Connect today! Visit https://alumnae.mercyhsb.com and use your email address, Facebook account, or LinkedIn account to log in and get started. Contact Jamila Sinlao Zanette '04 at jzanette@mercyhsb.com if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns. 28 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
ALUMNAE
Alumna Profile:
Laura Doss-Hertz ‘81 Laura Doss-Hertz ’81 has always been driven by deep-rooted desire to serve others; to become, in her words, “part of the solution and not part of the problem.” After more than twenty years as an advertising and lifestyle photographer, she found the perfect opportunity to carry out her dreams. In partnership with her husband, sustainable architect David Hertz, Laura cofounded Skysource. It is a company dedicated to providing sustainable energy and water solutions to those in need world wide, utilizing the resources from the sky which includes atmospheric water generation powered by 100% renewable energy. Their work received major recognition this past October, when Skysource was awarded the $1.5 million Water Abundance XPRIZE. We recently had the chance to sit down with Laura to learn more about this amazing accomplishment. Q: You left a successful career in advertising photography in order to start Skysource with your husband. What led you to make this transition? A: I was beginning to feel restless, unfulfilled and realized that I had outgrown certain aspects of my career. I craved a kinder and more compassionate career and a place to channel my creativity for good. Q: Tell us more about the Water Abundance XPRIZE and your creation - WEDEW - that won the competition. A: The goal was to create a product that could make 2000 liters of water in 24 hours for the cost of $0.02 per liter, using 100% renewable energy. Though atmospheric water generation (AWG) technology has been around for a long time, it is very energy intensive, and therefore expensive to operate. To solve this problem, we partnered with All Power Labs in Berkeley, utilizing their biomass gasifier which converts biomass waste feedstock into electricity, sequesters carbon, and produces biochar as a byproduct. WEDEW (Wood to Energy Deployable Emergency Water) produces water, but it also produces electricity. That means it can power
buildings, like schools or hospitals, and generate water that can be used for drinking or farming. The WEDEW can also make hot air to warm rooms and cold air for refrigeration to keep medicines cool in disaster situations or remote hospitals that lack refrigeration capabilities. Q: What’s next for you and Skysource? A: We plan to use 100% of our winnings to further the development of our WEDEW, and to move forward with our Resilience Lab. Established as a response to surviving the Woolsey Fire and witnessing its impact of the destruction on our community, the Resilience Lab (with WEDEW) will empower residents to have a fighting chance against the intense forces of nature. The Resilience Lab is also exploring the many ways to combat the inevitable effects of Global Climate Change, offering solutions to those who will be most in need. Q: What skills or lessons did you learn as a Mercy student that have helped you in this new endeavor? My desire to do all I can to leave this planet a better place is my life’s work, which definitely took shape during my days at Mercy. I knew then that my educational experience, not just academically but experientially, was a very special one and that I needed to do good things in the world with what I had learned there. Mercy made me the woman that I am today. Learn more about Skysource at http://www.skysource.org/ THE OAKS SPRING 2019 29
CLASS NOTES Let us know what you are up to! We love to have information for the Class Notes section of The Oaks. Submit your updates and photos online through the Mercy website at www.mercyhsb.com/alumnae/submit-news. If you prefer to email us, you can send your news to alumnae@mercyhsb.com. We can’t wait to hear from you! — Jamila Sinlao Zanette ‘04, Alumnae Relations Manager
1956
Mary Lou Woodman Whitcomb writes, “My dearest lifetime friend and Mercy classmate, Sheila Kelly Canty Vallier passed away in October 2018. She was so much fun and so successful in life obtaining her undergraduate degree from Stanford and her MBA/and law degree from UCLA. She raised 4 beautiful children. She lived near us for the past 18 years here, in South Lake Tahoe with her husband, Tracy. I will miss her tremendously.”
1959 This message is for all the Belles of ’59: We will be celebrating our 60th anniversary this year and we are hoping that you will all be able to attend Homecoming on September 15th! Be on the lookout for information from Kay ConklinDeCicco regarding this event. She has all of your emails and will be making contact soon. If you have recently changed your email or do not have one listed in the Alumnae Directory, please contact her at mkdecicco@comcast.net. Looking forward to seeing you all at Homecoming! Carol Ann Bocci Nulk and her husband Bob are still going strong, enjoying their home in San Jose, and keeping up with their children and grandchildren. One granddaughter has graduated from Fordham and is on her own in New York City. Three grandchildren will celebrate graduations this year from Ramapo University, New Jersey; Naval Academy, MD; and another from high school. Carol and Bob will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, also in June [don’t all blessings come at once?]. They are still traveling, but not so far nowadays. No more independent touring. Short flights, train or cruise work well. Carol writes, “Godspeed to all for a happy, healthy New Year.” (PHOTO: Carol Ann and Bob, 2018 Cruise, New Year’s)
30 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
1960
Patricia Conway Putkey - Photo Submission: “Marie Mazzetti Fregosi ‘55, Patricia Conway Putkey ‘60, Mary Conway Zodrow ‘60, Marisa Nastrini Borba ‘59, Darlene Tealdi Peterman ‘59, Maureen Sullivan Spencer ‘49”
1964
Sandra Ritter Linebarger remarried in 1995 and moved to Spokane, WA in 1996. She started her own bookkeeping service from 1998 to 2010, when she retired due to a ruptured brain aneurysm. She misses California, especially the weather, but loves Spokane, and has been good friends with Nancy Sarris Loberg ‘64 and her husband for the past several years.
1965
Mary Louise Miller Gass: In Memorium: John C. Gass, husband of Mary Louise Miller, class of 1965, passed away December 13, 2018.
Spontaneous meet up of Sister Alums at a Sunday Lunch in the Mercy Convent Dining Room. Reunion included singing of school songs! Sr. De Chantal Selenger ’61, Sr. Patty Campbell ‘67, Sr. Patsy Harney ‘61, Sr. Bernie Hart ‘60, Sr. Marilyn Lacey ‘66, Sr. Kathleen Connolly ‘58, and Sr. Deborah Watson visiting from Argentina ‘61
CLASS NOTES Carol Henry Prata, sister of Marie Henry ‘66, celebrates two special anniversaries this Spring: her 50th anniversary with husband and soulmate Joe Prata (former Hillsdale High School English teacher and Swimming and Water Polo coach) and the seventh anniversary of Joe’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The last seven bonus years have been astonishing. Within days of introducing a ketogenic dietary intervention, Joe became talkative again. Over time, his long and short-term memory improved and his personality returned. Look for Carol and Joe’s story in The Complete Book of Ketones by the pioneer of this intervention, Dr. Mary Newport. Whenever she can find time, Carol continues to write her own book about Joe which will include Ketogenic-Mediterranean recipes developed in collaboration with cookbook author and classmate Peggy Doherty Fallon ‘65. There is reason for hope—not just for Alzheimer’s, but Parkinson’s, MS, ALS, cancer, diabetes and other conditions. (PHOTO: “Joe & Carol--Christmas 2017”)
1966
Claudia Blackburn Stone lost her mother, Irma Blackburn, on January 30, 2018 at the age of 96. She was in the graduating class in San Francisco ICA ‘39 with only 3 members now still living. Claudia lives in Greenville, SC, but spends six months each year in Ireland, where she loves to hill walk daily.
1968
Darlene Rose DeMaria celebrated her 50th class reunion with her classmates at Il Fornaio Restaurant in downtown Burlingame, and was able to host several friends at her Edu-Therapy Learning Center down the street. She has a hard time believing that she has spent 23 years loving and serving the needs of the gifted and
challenged students in our community who have taught her so much. Darlene is forever thankful for her four years at Mercy. Sophomore year, Sister Marie deLourdes planted ‘the writer’s seed’ inside of her and everyday she is privileged to nurture the beauties that flow through her pen. Life as an Educational Therapist, leader of adult and children’s writing groups, and finding the love and spiritual partner of her life are all golden nuggets that grace her world each and every day. She is grateful for the spiritual roots planted during her four years at Mercy, and for finally realizing God’s path and plan for her. (PHOTO: Darlene is celebrating 23 years as Owner/Director of her learning center Edu-Therapy in downtown Burlingame.)
1969
At an October ceremony recognizing Girl Scouts of Northern California volunteers, Val Armento received the GSUSA Honor Pin. The award recognizes outstanding service which benefits multiple service units or associations and contributes to the goals and objectives of the council. “As a troop camping certification trainer for more than 30 years, this honoree teaches outdoor skills so adults and girls feel comfortable in the outdoors. She contributes to the development of outdoor curriculum as a member of the consortium of Girl Scout learning facilitators, which consists of five councils. As long-time co-chair for the Destinations Committee, her passion for helping girls expand their horizons through travel is essential. “Destinations is a wonderful opportunity for older girls to participant in national and international travel programs,” she writes.
1970
Lora Connolly recently retired from her position as Director of the California Department of Aging, having served in that role for over ten years. In that position, she advised the Governor and the Health and Human Services Secretary on a wide range of aging and disability issues; developed partnerships to implement innovative programs to improve services to California’s diverse and often socially isolated older adults and family caregivers; and helped develop increased collaboration between aging and disability advocacy organizations. During her 30 years working in the State Legislature and Health and Human Services Departments, Lora found that the Mercy Spirit continued to intersect with her work—whether it was in addressing legislative changes to support assisted living residents at the end of their life or in implementing programs to help individuals better personally manage their chronic health conditions—organizations affiliated with the Sisters of Mercy have often been active partners in these efforts. Lora writes, “Outside the State Capitol there is a statue of several Sisters of Mercy, commemorating the fact that where the Capitol stands was the first Mercy Hospital in Sacramento. Whenever I was going into the Capitol, I would always take a couple of minutes to go over and visit that statue and think back to my Mercy roots.” THE OAKS SPRING 2019 31
CLASS NOTES
1970
Robin Leach Bosche and her husband Rodney have traveled around as much as possible over the last several years. They also live a few months a year on Ambergris Caye, Belize. Robin and Rodney love the people and what they can do to help, and are grateful for their many blessings. (PHOTO: “Robin Leach Bosche ‘70 in Belize”)
1981
Janine De Hart recently retired from the College of Engineering at UC Berkeley and moved to the Palm Springs area. She is a trainee in the UC Riverside Master Gardener program and hopes to “graduate” in April of this year. She has a daughter living in Washington, D.C. and a son in Los Angeles. She resides in the Coachella Valley with 10 year old Dachshund, Stuart. (PHOTO: “Living in paradise”)
1974
1986
truly epic wedding of their eldest son, Gary Greenwald, to Cynthia Zamora on 1/12/2019. (PHOTO)
After nearly 27 years at the SETI Institute, Michelle started a new job with Hewlett Packard Enterprise in April. She is working as an Executive Assistant to two Vice Presidents in the Hewlett Packard Labs group and enjoying the new challenges. She even had the opportunity to travel to Madrid in November in support of the company conference/trade-show. Like most of the class of ’86, Michelle turned 50 in 2018 and in addition to having a great party with her family and friends, she traveled to New Orleans for a 5-day vacation with her long time friends from Mercy -- Lora
Janine Mignault Greenwald and her husband Ralph celebrated the
Debbie Day Sandobal, her husband Steven and daughter Maile, moved to Honolulu in 2005. She retired in March 2018, and is now enjoying more time with Maile’s two girls, Kaui & Kahili. Her son Justin was married in October at St. Bonaventure Church in Clayton, CA where he received his First Communion. (PHOTO: Debbie with Lydia Altamirano ‘73, High Tea Birthday Celebrations at Halekulani)
1977
Jo Bordenave Tyler took a magical trip to Ireland in September 2018 with her daughter Shaela. Jo writes, “It was amazing to be there where my ancestors lived, loved and laughed. What a beautiful place!” (PHOTO: “Shaela and me on a jaunting cart ride in Killarney”)
32 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
Michelle Murray: 2018 was a year of change and milestones.
Ceccato, Mary Ginty, Patricia Regan Johnson, Barbara Scholz, and Ana Gloria Rodriguez-Wilkinson. Lots of good music, good food, and great company! (PHOTO: “Patricia Regan Johnson, Michelle Murray, Barbara Scholz, Mary Ginty, Lora Ceccato, and Ana Gloria Rodriguez-Wilkinson enjoying beignets in New Orleans with the perfect order number!”)
1991
Torang “Torie” Sepah, MD graduated from UCLA, magna cum laude with a BA in political science. She worked as the Assistant Editor at Ms. Magazine in New York City for several years before completing a postbaccalaureate, premedical program at
CLASS NOTES Mills College, then beginning medical school at Tulane School of Medicine in 2002. She met her husband Ron Shatzmiller at Tulane and the two married while she was in her third year. Torie had her first son during her fourth year of med school (a few months post hurricane Katrina, while displaced with the entire med school to Baylor SOM in Houston). She returned to New Orleans with her class to graduate in June of 2006. She completed her internship in Family Medicine at Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Med Center and three additional years of residency in psychiatry at USC, Los Angeles Med Center. Her second son was born during her third year of residency. Torie was Chief Resident at her program in her fourth year at USC. She was most recently the Chief Psychiatrist at the California Department of Corrections in Corona, CA. Currently, she is the Medical Director for Psychiatry for Imperial Health Holdings Medical Group and Health Plan of California, Assistant Clinical Professor at USC Keck School of Medicine, and also owns her own private practice, the Pasadena Neuropsychiatry Center. She lives Pasadena with her husband Ron, a neurologist, and sons Jonatan (13) and Sina (8). (PHOTO)
1998
Raquel Pate has received her Real Estate License in the state of California in 2018. After a month of finishing her training at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, she sold her first house! Call her if you need a Realtor! (PHOTO: Raquel Pate ‘98)
2001
Amy Sariotti is a Police Corporal and is going on her 12th year in Law Enforcement. This April will mark six years with the South San Francisco Police Department (prior to SSFPD, she spent six years with the Burlingame Police Department). This January she was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Bureau as the Sexual Assault/Juvenile Detective. She currently resides in Brentwood, California, where she and her two sisters created their own business, Three Sisters and a Wish. They create custom wood/vinyl/hand painted signs, shirts, gifts, and help design wedding and home decor.
2007
Nicole Cheung Angeles has been working for the family business since graduating from college in 2012. For two years, she studied hard for the Customs Broker Exam, passing at the end of 2016. In October 2018, she received her Customs Broker License from the San Francisco Port Director, the next step to her dream of one day carrying on the family business. (PHOTO: Nicole and the San Francisco Port Director)
2010
Gianna Nannini Degenhardt and Fred
2000
Degenhardt were married on October 19, 2018 at the Palm Event Center in Pleasanton. They were surrounded by their family and friends, many of which attended Mercy B and Archbishop Riordan High School. (PHOTO)
Marisa Borruso Angius and her husband Daniel are proud to welcome their 3rd boy, Matthew Christopher Angius. He joined the family on October 17, 2018, and was welcomed by his brothers, Danny (5) and Tommy (2). (PHOTO: Matthew Angius)
In Memoriam
PLEASE REMEMBER THE FOLLOWING ALUMNAE IN YOUR PRAYERS. As of this publication, we have noted the “In Memoriams” received between October 2018 to February 11, 2019. Those received after that date will appear in our Fall Oaks. Mary Ann McSwain Hutcherson ‘67
Barbara Dohrmann Goerndt ‘54
Helen Fagan Reidy ‘48
Sheila Kelly Canty-Vallier ‘56
Nancy Prindle Parry ‘47
Frances Baher Smith ‘48
Carol Kimble Luhring ‘54
Tina Totah Nazzal ‘85
Joan Weaver Sullivan ‘48
The Mercy Mass Program - At each of our school liturgies we pray for those people who have been acknowledged in the Mercy Mass Program. Donations are made in memory of a loved one and to honor others for anniversaries, birthdays, or at times of illness. To enroll a loved one in the Mercy Mass Program, simply contact the Mercy Advancement Office at 650.762.1190 or visit our website at www.mercyhsb.com THE OAKS SPRING 2019 33
GIVING
Share Your Passion for Mercy Burlingame
Strategize Your Philanthropic Efforts
Mercy High School relies on friends and supporters like you to help us advance our mission. You can help champion our mission and improve your community without increasing your contributions by joining with others and creating what is known as a giving circle. A giving circle can take many forms, but it ultimately allows you to increase your impact.
Here’s how to get started: 1 Identify friends and family who want to make a difference at Mercy High School. While some members may want to join in order to begin their charitable legacies, others may be looking for a way to expand their charitable contributions. The most important requirement is wanting to make a difference for students at Mercy.
2 Get educated. Once you have established your network, decide how your group will impact Mercy. Encourage members to learn about their giving options, which include estate gifts. Then, start talking about the ways your group can make a difference.
3 Make the most of your generosity. Giving circles can increase their impact by giving a variety of gifts. Agree on a comfortable amount that each member will contribute. If members want to give more, consider supplementing your gifts with volunteer opportunities and gifts made through your estate.
4 Make your mark. At the end of the year, please contact Mercy to notify us of your giving circle’s intentions. It would be our pleasure to personally thank your group and discuss the impact you’ve made.
5 Keep the momentum going. There is no limit on the difference your giving circle can make for the students of Mercy HIgh School. After presenting your gift, regroup to discuss how you will continue to make a difference year after year.
Visit www.mercyhsb.com/giving/planned-giving to discover a variety of ways your giving circle can make a charitable impact on Mercy. © The Stelter Company. The information in this publication is not intended as legal or tax advice.
Catherine’s Legacy If you have made provisions for Mercy in your estate plan (with bequests, charitable trusts, gifts of life insurance or retirement funds), you can become a member of Mercy’s Catherine Legacy Society. Please notify the Advancement Department at 650.762.1190 or Mary Lund at mlund@mercyhsb.com.
34 MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
Article 6 of 6
2018-19 Board of Directors Sarah Newsom Healy Anne Bianchini, CPA ‘90 Una Kinsella ‘83 Sr. Pauline Borghello, RSM Brandy M. M. Navarro, Sr. Judy Cannon, RSM CFP®, ChFC, CLU ‘98 Cindy McDonald Dunleavy ‘81 Joan Marie O’Donnell, RSM Patricia Flanagan ‘65 Clare Pool Purpura ‘75 Bob Grassilli, Chair Caroline M. Romeo Maureen Grazioli Michele O’Connor Tyler ‘68 Karen Hanrahan
Save the Date for...
Violins of Hope Violins of Hope, Courtesy: Amnon Weinstein
A Celebration of Heroism, History, Hope, Healing, and Humanity SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA January 15 – March 14, 2020 In collaboration with 26 community partners including performing arts, faith-based and civic organizations, our colleagues at Music at Kohl Mansion will bring the world-renowned exhibit to the San Francisco Bay Area. The Violins of Hope is an extraordinary collection of 70+ string instruments originally owned and played by prisoners in Nazi concentration camps during World War II that have been fully restored over the past twenty years by Israeli luthier father and son duo, Amnon and Avshalom Weinstein.
Amnon Weinstein in his Tel Aviv workshop, Photo: Debra Yasinow
The instruments serve to educate and memorialize the lives of prisoners in concentration camps through concerts, exhibitions, and other special projects.
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, and with support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Music at Kohl Mansion has commissioned composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer to write a chamber work to be premiered at Music at Kohl Mansion on Saturday, January 18 and Sunday, January 19, 2020 on instruments from the Violins of Hope collection.
Highlights of the Violins’ Bay Area Residency will include:
• Concerts around the Bay Area performed by three distinguished Bay Area orchestras • Public conversations and expert panel discussions on topics of peace and justice throughout the Bay Area
• Concerts showcasing popular folk violin traditions across the world, particularly from some home countries of the Violins of Hope
• School performances, lectures, video presentations, and demonstrations led by Avshalom Weinstein and James A. Grymes, author. An exhibition of many of the instruments from the collection will be open and free to the public at the War Memorial Veterans Building in San Francisco’s Performing Arts Center. Viewers will learn the remarkable stories behind these instruments, which have survived the Holocaust and, in many cases, long and dangerous journeys.
Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer Photo: Robert Hart
For more details and information, visit https://musicatkohl.org/violins-of-hope THE OAKS SPRING 2019 35
MERCY HIGH SCHOOL
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
2750 ADELINE DR
PA I D
BURLINGAME CA 94010-5597
MERCY HIGH SCHOOL
Change Service Requested
Tools School for
MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
Summer Program for 6th, 7th & 8th Grade Girls
e of th One nique n tu mos Camps o r la! me Sum Peninsu e h t 018 TE 2 F GA
Visual & Performing Arts training Academic preparedness classes Weekly educational field trips
S
June 17 - July 12, 2019 • 8:30am - 3:00pm
THEOAKS The Oaks is published twice yearly for alumnae, parents, and friends of Mercy High School Burlingame. A Catholic, all girls College Preparatory since 1931, Mercy High School is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas West Midwest Community. In an effort to go green we will only be sending one Oaks per household. Please share with all. Thank you! MAIN OFFICE 650.343.3631 ALUMNAE OFFICE 650.762.1190 ex. 1196 ADVANCEMENT OFFICE 650.762.1190 ADMISSIONS OFFICE 650.762.1114 FAX 650.343.2976
36
Register Today! Learn more at: www.mercyhsb.com/toolsforschool MERCY HIGH SCHOOL BURLINGAME
EMAIL alumnae@mercyhsb.com
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